Elle
Girl name · #462 in 2025 · Uniqueness 60/100
Elle ranks #462 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 668 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #397, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,695 girls born in 2025 was named Elle.
The 48-year story
Elle first appears in the Social Security records in 1977, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 890 girls were named Elle — good for #354 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Elle per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elle against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elle in class?
Elle scores 60 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Elle is most common
Geography matters for names, and Elle is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Elles were CA (97), TX (64), FL (46), NY (44), IL (33). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Elle
Statistically, parents drawn to Elle tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eve, Miracle, Annabelle, Giselle, and Noelle.
EveMiracleAnnabelleGiselleNoelleBrielleEmmieEmmy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elle | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 668 | #461 |
| 2024 | 644 | #479 |
| 2023 | 702 | #441 |
| 2022 | 795 | #393 |
| 2021 | 870 | #357 |
| 2020 | 842 | #370 |
| 2019 | 890 | #354 |
| 2018 | 817 | #382 |
| 2017 | 833 | #375 |
| 2016 | 834 | #399 |
| 2015 | 819 | #397 |
| 2014 | 825 | #395 |
| 2013 | 749 | #408 |
| 2012 | 822 | #383 |
| 2011 | 766 | #414 |
| 2010 | 750 | #420 |
| 2009 | 709 | #443 |
| 2008 | 642 | #492 |
| 2007 | 677 | #475 |
| 2006 | 653 | #481 |
| 2005 | 594 | #505 |
| 2004 | 596 | #494 |
| 2003 | 497 | #556 |
| 2002 | 418 | #612 |
| 2001 | 197 | #1076 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elle a popular girl name?
Elle ranked #462 among girls in 2025 with 668 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #397.
When was the name Elle most popular?
Elle peaked in 2019, when 890 American girls received the name (ranked #354 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Elle?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,695 newborn American girls was named Elle. It scores 60/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.